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University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and Grinnell Mutual: partners in ATV Safety

University of Iowa (UI) Children’s Hospital ATV Safety program staff attended the Grinnell Mutual Annual Meeting Expo June 28–29 and wrapped up its participation with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety presentation to Grinnell Mutual staff members. Grinnell Mutual is the leading sponsor of the UI Children’s Hospital ATV Safety program, which was implemented in 2010.

Since 2015, Grinnell Mutual’s sponsorship dollars helped educate 2,045 students in the classroom and 5,400 people through community outreach. Additionally, media coverage of the program has reached over 8.5 million people.

“The best way to connect with kids is through school curriculums,” said Pam Hoogerwerf, injury prevention and community outreach director and UI Children’s Hospital ATV safety program co-director. “It makes perfect sense for us to partner with an insurance company that lives and breathes safety and health risks. We love our relationship with Grinnell Mutual.”

Hoogerwerf and Dr. Charles Jennissen, director of the UI Pediatric Emergency Medicine Division, presented the 45-minute symposium, which highlighted the risks of ATV use and the Safety Tips for ATV Riders (STARS) program. The project hopes to expand its scope to additional vehicles and has recently added a pilot program devoted to occupational use of ATVs on farms.

“Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death or disability for individuals aged 1–44,” said Jennissen. “It accounts for more deaths than the next nine leading causes of death combined. We’re grateful to Grinnell Mutual for helping us educate our communities about very real — and avoidable — tragedies.”